


Allergic Reaction

by Sharcade



Series: Whump Challenge [5]
Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Allergies, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Force-Feeding, Gen, Hiding Medical Issues, Illnesses, Medical Conditions, Pain, Sick Character, Sickfic, Vomiting, Whump, whump challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-08-08 19:14:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16435241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sharcade/pseuds/Sharcade
Summary: Max sees no reason to tell the counsellor's about his allergies. It's never been a problem before, why would it be a problem now? It's not like David or Gwen would ever force him to eat something he didn't want to. Only a shitty and possibly mentally deranged counsellor would do that.





	Allergic Reaction

**Author's Note:**

> (a minor throwback to my insect sting fic where i mentioned max was allergic to gluten)

"I'm not gonna fucking eat that."

"Now Max," Daniel ushered, gently drumming his fingers against the boy's shoulder as Max flinched under his touch. "Our wonderful Quartermaster worked very hard on this food! You really should eat some."

"Where the hell is David?" Max spat, pushing his tray away and folding his arms defiantly. " _He_ wouldn't be making me eat this shit."

"David is tending to paperwork in the counsellor's cabin! And don't call the Quartermaster's cooking mean words, Max, mind your language."

"Daniel," Neil interjected. "Max really shouldn't-"

"Shouldn't be acting so rude," Daniel interrupted. "I agree. Now, Max, eat up."

"I'm not fucking hungry."

Max wouldn't say he was starving, but he could definitely stand to eat a little more. However, appetite wasn't exactly the problem. Max couldn't eat gluten. He didn't have Celiac's - a question Neil had asked him immediately upon finding out - but he did have a gluten allergy. It wasn't something he liked to admit to, any show of weakness was another loose thread that the other campers could use to unravel him, and it definitely wasn't something he wanted to admit to a counsellor. If David knew, he would be constantly hanging over Max's shoulder to make sure Max wasn't eating anything he shouldn't. If Gwen knew, she'd be going out of her way to make sure there was always a gluten-free option for Max - some psychological bullshit about children being excluded from social groups, whatever, Max didn't care, but if Daniel knew? That was a whole other story.

Daniel's presence didn't exactly sit right with Max - David had assured him vehemently that Daniel had changed, but Max didn't buy it. Any weakness he could possibly hide from Daniel had to be hidden forever. At least when he had told Neil and Nikki they had promised to keep it under wraps. He had only told them in the first place because he was half asleep, sending Neil to get snacks for the three of them and didn't feel like vomiting all night.

"Max," Daniel coaxed, moving in closer to the camper and pulling Max's tray towards them once again. " _I really think you should eat._ "

"Well I don't fucking  _want_ t- mph!"

Before Max could even finish his statement, Daniel had crammed the stale bread into Max's mouth, the camper writhing and struggling in Daniel's grasp as the counsellor clamped his hand over Max's mouth and nose.

"What the hell?!" Neil snapped, yanking Max away from Daniel as the camper coughed and sputtered, shaking his head quickly. "What is  _wrong_ with you?!"

"It's my job to make sure that every Camp Campbell camper eats healthy and learns respect!" Daniel mused, his smile not breaking for a moment as Max coughed jaggedly into his fist. "Sometimes stubborn campers like Max just need a little shove in the right direction, isn't that right?"

"Max? Max, are you okay?"

Max could hear Neil's voice, but words barely registered. The camper's heart was pounding dangerously in his chest - he had just eaten the one fucking thing he was never supposed to eat. Max hadn't had gluten in years, it had been fairly easy for him to avoid, but he still remembered all the pain that had come with his last reaction.

"You're a fucking idiot!" Neil spat at Daniel, the counsellor's smile faltering slightly into something darker.

"Woah there kiddo, watch the language!"

"Neil?" Nikki questioned, hopping up onto the bench and setting her tray down as she looked curiously over Max. "What's going on?"

Max could feel nausea creeping up in his throat.

"Daniel just force-fed Max some of Quartermaster's shitty bread."

Nikki's eyes locked with Max's; he could tell she instantly understood. Nikki wasn't always the brightest, but she was sure as hell perceptive, especially when it came to her friends.

"We're leaving," Neil insisted, glaring at Daniel as the remains of the counsellor's smile faded away. "Why don't you go bother some other campers?"

"Neil?" Max cut in. "I-I'm not feelin' so hot."

Max's throat felt like it was burning, his stomach threatening to upheave as he pressed a clammy fist to his mouth. Everything was  _itchy_. His throat was itchy, his eyes were itchy, his skin was itchy, and he felt like he was about to vomit all over his best friend. Max had to get back to his tent; he'd fucking kill himself if this camp found another weakness of his to pick away at.

Neil didn't waste a second in pulling Max to his feet, Daniel eyeing the two in confusion as Neil lead the camper towards the door. Max could feel dozens of eyes on him, the pressure doing little to help his nausea as Neil toted him along. Max didn't know where they were going, but he prayed it would be the tents. He could hear Daniel's voice in the background, Nikki replying loudly and Max barely registering any of it. All he could focus on was the itching, everything was itching, everything was itching and  _Max couldn't breathe._

"Neil-" Max gagged, stopping abruptly in his tracks outside the mess hall, choking down a gulp of air. "We gotta stop, I-I'm gonna fucking puke."

Max's eyes - which were still  _itching_ \- locked with Neil's, the older boy hesitating nervously for a moment before he nodded, releasing Max's wrist. As soon as Max had been freed, he turned on his heel away from the other camper and vomited unceremoniously onto the ground. Bile burned in Max's already flaming throat as he coughed, gasping desperately to get more air into his body as his stomach threatened to punish him a second time. He could feel Neil rubbing his shoulder, a sentiment he would have usually scolded Neil relentlessly for now seeming to be his only comfort.

"Is Max okay-?" Nikki questioned hurriedly as she burst past the mess hall doors, stopping when she saw Max doubled over, spit and vomit puddled below him.

"Nikki, go get David," Neil instructed hurriedly, slinging Max's arm over his shoulder. "We'll meet you there, I just don't want to leave Max alone with Daniel."

Max felt dizzy; he wasn't getting enough air,  _he couldn't breathe._ Dark spots began to dance across his vision, his knees threatening to give out as Neil tried his best to hold the smaller camper up. Max could feel himself fading in and out of consciousness; he couldn't pass out now, not right in front of the mess hall, not a mere twenty feet from Daniel, not while David was on his way.

The last thing Max heard before he passed out was Neil's alarmed cries as he hit the ground.

* * *

"I think this is actually the first time it's happened in a while, Max was saying-"

Max furrowed his brow, his eyes remaining closed as he tried to gather his bearings. His stomach still felt a little unsettled - not nearly as bad as it had been earlier, but still not exactly comfortable. His body wasn't itching, thank  _God,_ but the burning had been replaced with an awful pain in his head. Max didn't feel like moving, his limbs felt heavy, his  _eyelids_ felt heavy - where was he?

"Daniel gave him some bread I think? I wasn't there. Neil?"

"Yeah, he waited until Max was talking and then he shoved it in his mouth."

Neil's voice. God, Neil's voice was so fucking annoying. Max furrowed his brow further; he really should open his eyes at some point. Was he even awake yet? Max couldn't really tell, but he certainly didn't feel very awake.

"Why didn't he tell us?"

"He didn't want you guys to get all weird and obsessive about it."

"Are we gonna ignore that Daniel force-fed a camper?"

Max grunted quietly; why the hell was everybody still talking? He still didn't even know where he was, he still didn't even know what had happened in the past hour. He slung an arm over his eyes, the small bit of light creeping over his face more than enough to irritate him. God, this is why the outdoors sucked, there was so much fucking light when all he wanted to do was rest.

"Hey! Max is waking up!" Nikki exclaimed.

"I'm awake," Max grumbled, instantly feeling a hand tighten around his own.

Had somebody been holding his hand this whole time?

"How are you feeling?" Neil doted, Max peeking out at him slightly from underneath his sleeve. "Any nausea? Skin irritation?"

"Everything hurts," Max muttered in response, closing his eyes once again. "Let me sleep."

"Now Max," David began, worry thick in his voice. "We need to make sure you're alright before we let you rest, okay?"

"Whatever."

Max felt the hand around his begin to loosen, his own hand quickly tightening around it before he even knew what he was doing. He flushed slightly in embarrassment as he quickly loosened his own grip, though the hand seemed to still for a moment before resuming its grasp on Max's own. Max couldn't handle the suspense anymore: timidly, he peered out at his hand, instantly recognizing the pale hand above his own as David's. Better than it being Neil or some shit.

"You're allergic to gluten?" Gwen cut in. "And you didn't think that would be important to mention? Seriously?"

"Why bother?" Max retorted weakly, exhaustion stripping him of his usual bite. "Not like we ever get any real food anyway."

"You've got me there."

"Aren't all our allergies on our enrollment forms anyway?" Nikki asked curiously, hopping up onto the edge of Max's - or rather, David's - bed.

Max watched as Gwen and David exchanged a look quietly; Max didn't have to be a genius to know that his parents hadn't bothered noting down his allergies. 

"Somebody must have forgotten to write it down," David assured, forcing a smile. "Ah- Nikki, Neil, could you give us a moment?"

Max's eyes fell closed again, exhaustion getting the better of him as he listened to the quiet scuffle of Nikki and Neil leaving the cabin. He was tired, so insanely  _tired,_ he just wanted to fall back asleep. David's bed was unfairly comfortable compared to the shitty cots they had been sleeping on, this would be his one chance at a good night's sleep.

"Max?" David prompted softly. "Are you still awake?"

"Yeah," Max muttered, his arm rolling off of his face pathetically and plopping down on the pillow next to him.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm not gonna die, if that's what you're asking."

"Yeah, well, you're lucky," Gwen huffed, taking Neil's seat next to the bed. "Why didn't you tell us you had allergies?"

"Because you both would have made a big fucking deal about it," Max spat, shutting his eyes tightly as David's hand flinched against his own. "I don't have time for you to be constantly watching what kind of shit I eat and when."

"Did your parents at least send you with an EpiPen or something?" she continued, folding her arms in thought and kicking her feet up onto Max's bed.

"You think my parents would pay for a fucking  _EpiPen?_ "

"Max," David cut in, his hand tightening over Max's. "You need to tell us these kinds of things."

"Why the fuck does it matter so much?"

"Because you could have gotten seriously sick."

"I think I fucking did."

"I mean  _more_ than you already were."

"I'm pretty sure I-"

"He means you could have  _died_ , Max." Gwen interrupted.

The room went silent. Max could feel David's hand trembling lightly.

"It's not a fatal allergy," Max mumbled quietly after a few moments of pause. "I just throw up and get all rashy, were you worried about me  _dying?_ "

"I just want to always know that you're alright," David insisted timidly. "We can get you gluten-free food if you want, that way you can always have what the other campers are having and-"

"Don't do any of that shit," Max snapped.

There was another pause of silence. Max had to admit, part of him felt a bit guilty for scaring David and Gwen. His allergies had never really  _scared_ him; he knew they wouldn't kill him. He had never had anything to be afraid of. His parents had never seemed scared when Max had an allergic reaction, so why would he be scared? It had never really occurred to him that the sight of him in the midst of a reaction like that could be  _scary._ David had been worried that he would  _die_ , David hadn't known anything about his allergies. David had been scared. Hell, even  _Gwen_ had been scared. He wondered if Neil and Nikki had been scared.

He wondered if  _he_ should have been scared.

"David?" Max began quietly, his own eyes finally moving up to meet the counsellor's.

"Yes, Max?"

"I'm allergic to cats too. Just so you know."

David's worried expression faltered slightly, a sympathetic smile taking its place as David ran a reassuring thumb across Max's knuckles.

"Thanks for telling us."

"Whatever. Don't get a big fucking head about it. And don't make a big deal about the fucking gluten thing, I swear to God if I see any gluten-free bullshit on the menu this week I'll light your cabin on fire."

"I believe you, Max."

"Good."

"Do you want to get some sleep?"

"Hell yes."

 

**Author's Note:**

> I now have an official Tumblr! Feel free to stop by!
> 
> sharcade-involved.tumblr.com


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